Multiple-printing apparatus.



I. S. R. PRENTISS.

MULTIPLE PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1905.

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l u r f l 5 5 llllllllllllllllllllllllg umessesz- PA'IBNTED JULY 3, 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.FRANK S. R. PRENTISS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MULTIPLE-PRINTING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, -1 906.

Original application filed October 16, 1903, Serial No. 177,241. Divided and this application led May 11,1905. Serial No. Z 9.888.

To 1J/Z whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK R. PnnNrrss, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Printing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. l

My inventionrelates to improvements in apparatus for reproducing photogra hic prints in large quantities and by arti cial light.

' Its object is to provide means for simultaneously printing onto a continuous sensitized strip from a number of plates yor negatives, which may vary greatly in density one from another or from a single negative, and so regulatine the light that the exposure for all parts of a l the plates or the entire surface of a single plate will be uniform.

it consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, in partial section, of my machine. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on line XI, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a plurality of negatives secured to a translucent plate. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line y y of Fig. 3.

The prints to be developed or toned, according as a developing-paper or a printing-out paper is used, are in the form of a continuous strip, (represented in the drawings b the character A.) B represents the frame cfr the printing apparatus.

The sensitized roll of paper or fabric to be rinted on is mounted in a dark chamber 4 in i-)rame B upon a roller 5. The end of the roll is carried between the tension-rollers 6 beneath the glass plate 8, carrying the negative or negatives from which the positive impressions are to be printedhand over the stationary platform 7 disposed in a centrall opening in frame B. For convenience the p ate 8 may be considered the negativey itself, although it will be understood that several smaller plates, each having a separate image, may be secured to the under side of plate 8, as shown in F .3.

The top of lie platform or table 7 is covered with felt or other soft material, and the paper is adapted to be moved intermittently across this surface With its nlm side up and adjacent to the lm side of the superposed plate, the plate being lifted to allow the paper to travel forward and then being pressed -down uponthe strip A during the printingv A frame to allow for the intermittent iorward developing or toning, fixing, and washing baths and over the drier, whichmechanisms are not here shown. The paper is moved intermittently beneath the printing-plate 8 by any suitable means-as here shown the hand-crank 15 on'one of the rollers 13. The printing ofthe image u on the sensitized paper A 1s done by artificial li ht emanating from a series of incandescent ulbs or lamps 16, carried on vertically and individually ad justable stems 17, dis osed above plate S, the stems 17 being slidable in suit-able sockets in a support 18 and bein locked at any point by th'e set-screws 1Q. V hese lamps are so arranged that the intensityof light at an point on the plate may be varied to cause a l parts of the image-surface to print equally.

requently when printing in a uniform light it is necessary to give one portion of a negativo more time than another. With diiferent 'negatives these .differences in exposure are the more noticeable.

My design is tosecure a mean exposure for the entire plate, irrespective of the lights and shadows of the plate. Any number of lamps may be used corresponding with the size of plate 8, which may be several square feet in area.

Having by experiment adjusted the individual lamps, so that all portions of the nega- 4tive surface will print to the right degree in a IOO l l l Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secu'reby Letters1 Patent is 1,.' In a printing apparatus, the combination of a frame havin a central lopening and compartments at eac side of said opening, a stationalsupport disposed in the opening and over 'eh the paper to bel rinted lon'is adapted to travel, means for a vancing the paper to be printed on over said support, a translucent plate movable to and from the support, a movable frame supporting said plate, a lever to reci roeate the frame, and means connected Wit the lever and including a stop engaffeable with the frame, to holdl the plate out o? contact with the support.

2. In a printing apparatus, the combination of a frame having a central opening and compartments at each side of said opening, a stationary support disposed in the opening and over which the paper -to be rinted on is adapted to travel, means for a vancing the paper to be printed on over said support, a

Vtranslucent plate movable to and from the support, al movable frame supporting said plate'out of contactwith the support, and a series of lamps disposed to illuminate the area of said plate, and means for varying the distance or the individual lampsrom said plate to aiect locally the printing qualities thereof.

3. in :a printing a aratus of the character described, the com mation of a paper-supporting surface, a translucent plate, a plural# ity of separate and smaller plates secured to the first plate and .bearing ima es, a series of lamps, and means 4for var ing illedistance of individual lamps from sai surface, said translucent plate being interposed between said surface and the lamps.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my'hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. A

FRANK S. R. PRENTISS.

Witnesses:

HARRY J. Lasa,

JOHN J. Hennes. 

